Nuts, botls, Ratchets & Sprockets
by C-Puff
Summary: My first real fanfiction worth noting. After a failed mission Rathet and CLank are split up. As luck would have it though, Ratchet finds help to rescue him from an unlikely Lombax girl. written when I was 16. EXTREME Mary-Sueness. you've been warned.


This Story doesn't have a precise Date, but it's before the end of the game. Seeing as I haven't finished the game yet it practically stands where I do.  
  
Drek was standing in his office staring through the window off into the endless masses of Space. He growled to himself. He wasn't in a good mood, & because of this most of his staff were avoiding him. He started to pace...Ratchet was on his mind again. The Lombaxion was becoming quite a problem. If things continued going the way they were he was in a lot of trouble. What really annoyed him was Ratchet's Planet hopping. He never stayed anywhere really long making it almost impossible to track him. But even when he did, Ratchet always took out all his minions as if they were nothing! The boy MUST have a weak spot! Every-one does (Except him of course)! Drek paced some more. He turned all possibilities over in his mind but he couldn't come up with anything.  
  
Ratchet & Clank...Clank & Ratchet...The mantra was like a splinter in the mind. & Then it hit him! Ratchet & Clank! You can't have a duo with just one on a team! He stopped pacing & analyzed this new idea. Yes! It might work! He couldn't get Ratchet because the boy would just take every-one out...but what if he apprehended the little robot? The little guy was almost defenseless on his own. & With a little luck he'd be able to barter with Ratchet for the robot's safe return. He grinned.  
  
"Yeeeessss..." He said rubbing his hands. "After all...Nobility is so easy to prey on!"  
  
"That was completely uncalled for!!" Clank said from his perch on Ratchet's back.  
  
"Oh shut up!" Ratchet yelled back.  
  
"I told you not to take that turn but as usual you completely ignored my advice & ran ahead of yourself!" Clank went on.  
  
The two of them were currently running as fast as Ratchet could go back to the ship, Ratchet carrying the brand new Hoverboard He & Clank had just swiped. Some guards (Ok so quite a LOT of guards) Were chasing them through the rocky terrain of Deraxon & it's constant blue mist that surrounded it's high cliffs & boulders.  
  
"I don't see how you could endanger us all for the sake of...!"  
  
"Listen! Can you spare me the lecture until we're off this blue ball?!" Ratchet puffed.  
  
Clank got the message & kept quiet. Finally the sleek purple ship came into view. Ratchet wasted no time in jumping in the cockpit & Unclasping Clank.  
  
"Hurry! Get us outta here!!" He yelled.  
  
Clank quickly activated the ship & Ratchet shot off into the sky.  
  
After taking a glimpse behind him to see the planet shrink away, Ratchet kicked back & laughed.  
  
"Man! Those guys were such IDIOTS!" He said between laughs. Clank gave him a disapproving look.  
  
"I say you are starting to over estimate yourself. You really should stop pushing your luck! One day you are going to get us both into some serious predicament!"  
  
"Hey, Relax! It's not like they caught us!" Ratchet said folding his arms behind his head.  
  
"Yes, but they may very well catch us next time." He eyed the newest Hoverboard that Ratchet & he had just got hold of. It was pretty fast & hadn't been released at Gadgetron outlets yet."  
  
"Why did we go through all that trouble for a new hoverboard when your old one works just as well?" He asked.  
  
Ratchet raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Are you for real?! It's a huge upgrade from the one I got! & It's got a built in boost that you can activate at any time! Meaning I won't get my jaw busted open when I try & pull off a 'Scratcher'."  
  
Clank sighed. "Sorry I asked."  
  
After a long & uneventful trip they finally landed on their next targeted Planet, Eudora. An info-bot they had acquired at the Deraxon research center had told them that They few Forests left on the planet, the older & harder ones, were going to be leveled since Drek needed the wood for his factories' Furnaces. Drek's Factories still used Fossil fuels as a source of power. This is because the newly discovered source of power, atomic fusion was expensive, Drek didn't see the reason paying for something that he could get easier by taking it away from others. Of course Ratchet & Clank would not have this, so they jetted back to the forest planet to try & thraught Drek's plans. He had an operating base on the planet, they just had to sabotage it in order to over throw the operation. The M.O.M. project was kind enough to send them a map of the base along with one of her info-bots. Ratchet had to admit Clank's Mother was turning out to be a great help to them. After landing Ratchet went about his usual check-up of the ship. If it was to stall on them while they were in space it would be the end for sure, for this reason, Ratchet always made a check-up whenever possible. He rolled out from under the ship, his face smudged with oil.  
  
"Well?" Clank asked as a way of inspection.  
  
"All clear." Ratchet said wiping his hands on a rag.  
  
"Right! Should we go?" He asked tossing the rag aside.  
  
Clank gave the deep dark forest a look & almost immediately made up his mind.  
  
"I think we should wait for tomorrow." He concluded.  
  
"What? Why?" Ratchet asked putting his hands on his hips.  
  
"Because we don't know exactly what kind of creatures stalk this planet at night." Clank replied.  
  
Ratchet gave him a skew look. "You're scared aren't you?"  
  
Clank gave him a glowy green stare. "No I am not. I just think it would be safer if we waited until daybreak. Besides, You are a Carbon based life form & if my calculations are correct you have not slept in 39 hours! If you are to keep your hindquarters out of Drek's grasp you should keep yourself in top condition! I doubt we'll last very long if you're dragging your feet!" He crossed his little arms to show he meant it.  
  
"Alright alright! Sheesh! You're worst than my mother!" Ratchet said giving Clank a dirty look. The only real reason he was agreeing with the robot was because he was in actuality exhausted. Being chased terrain over terrain did take it out of you.  
  
Ratchet burrowed into the ship & soon pulled out a backpack.  
  
"What on earth is that for?" Clank asked critically.  
  
Ratchet tossed it on the ground.  
  
"A Pillow! Duh!" He leaned against it, head resting on his hands. He stared at the stars for a few minutes but soon dozed off. Around him the night noises made their calls & clank was busy reviewing the info-bots they had gathered to see if they might have missed anything...it was a rare moment when the duo could just relax & recharge their batteries.  
  
Day broke over the treetops. Soon a beam of morning sunlight found its desired route & shone right into Ratchet's face, waking him. He grumbled & rubbed his eyes. After stretching every muscle in his body, the way only a Lombax can, He got up & brushed the grass off him.  
  
"Glad to see you up." he heard Clank call. The little guy was busy fiddling with something in the ship's Cockpit.  
  
"What time is it?" Ratchet asked scratching behind one of his ears.  
  
"The sun came up about an hour ago." Clank said as a way of an answer.  
  
"WHAT?!" Ratchet shouted frustrated. "You let me sleep in!!!"  
  
"Well of course I did." Clank said climbing out of the ship. "You need rest after all."  
  
" Hey! You start getting maternal on me Clank, I swear I'll go right to your main database with a very large axe & give you a reprogramming you'll never forget!"  
  
Clank shrugged. He was use to Ratchet's empty threats.  
  
"If you are eager to get on with this mission I suggest we get going." He said.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah alright!" Ratchet said attaching Clank to his back.  
  
After a brief argument on which way they should head they were Finally off.  
  
Even though it was definitely day, the large trees covered most of the sky, making the path towards the base dark & aerie. Every noise, every movement made them jump, Ratchet's large ears & light sensitive eyes seem to be working over time.  
  
"Man this place gives me the creeps! Easy to get lost in here!" he said more to himself than to any one else.  
  
"Good hiding place" Clank commented.  
  
"Quiet!" Ratchet said stopping suddenly.  
  
"What is it?" Clank said Turning to try & see.  
  
"I said Quiet!" Ratchet whispered.  
  
He listened closely for a few minutes, trying to pick up the location of where he had heard the rustling of leaves that he knew for certain wasn't the wind.  
  
After a few heart-stopping moments Clank couldn't take it any more & asked again.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Ratchet was tense for a few more seconds before he relaxed.  
  
"Nothing. I thought I heard..."  
  
Something sprung out from the undergrowth!  
  
It knocked Ratchet (& Clank) over with a strong head-but before jumping back & taking an aggressive stance.  
  
Ratchet barely let the blow set in before he sprung onto his feet.  
  
"You alright?!" He called briefly.  
  
"Yes Yes I'm fine!" Clank called back.  
  
"Good! Keep it that way!" Ratchet pulled out his Omni-wrench 8000.  
  
The creature that had attacked him had a rust red coat & long tail. Strong forelegs & an abnormally long tuff of hair on his head that was twisted into a few dreadlocks & a large feather. It was almost like a cross between a puma & a wolf. It certainly had dog like features but it's large claws & back structure suggested it was far more agile than any canine.  
  
It snarled at Ratchet & snapped its jaws. Ratchet glared at it. The beast lunges forward.  
  
Ratchet, with the help of a boost from Clank, Side jumped it.  
  
The creature skidded on the mossy ground, confused by the lack of a target. But it spun around just as fast & was almost on top of Ratchet for the second time.  
  
Ratchet flipped over it again & was ready to deliver a hammer attack when the creature dodged him just as easily, however, it swung around in mid air swatting Ratchet onto the ground!  
  
"Man he's fast!" Ratchet said rubbing his head & jumping to his feet.  
  
The creature crouched snarling & making barking like sounds.  
  
Ratchet hit the small blue button on his left glove.  
  
The blaster morphed into position.  
  
"Dodge this!" He called letting loose in a hail of bullets.  
  
The large creature was doing the best impression of Riverdance Ratchet had ever seen. The shooting stopped & the beast was looking around frantically for a second to check if there was any more coming.  
  
That's all Ratchet needed! In the small time period that the animal was distracted Ratchet Leapt forward & preformed his hammer slam!  
  
Instant KO!  
  
The large creature sagged in on itself.  
  
Ratchet kept his guard until he was sure it was out cold. He then stood up right, panting slightly.  
  
"That was in interesting display of acrobatics!" Clank said.  
  
"Thanx!"  
  
"I meant that bully...For it's size it's very nimble!"  
  
"Never mind I just saved our buts!" Ratchet grumbled.  
  
"Oh come on, You've tackled far more dangerous enemies than this push over!"  
  
Ratchet rolled his eyes as he pocketed his Omni-wrench. "Yeah right!"  
  
They kept on their way to the base.  
  
The large steel building came into sight. Ratchet unclasped Clank so the robot could see too.  
  
"Ok, now all we gotta do is blast through the huge wad of guards, find out where the main control room is, blast our way out of the huge wad of guards & get our butts outta the way before the whole place blows! Simple!"  
  
Clank gave him a sideways look ¬_¬;  
  
"Oh yes...Just like going to lunch!"  
  
Ratchet growled at him. "You gotta better plan?!"  
  
Clank thought for a moment..."No."  
  
"Then shut up & stop backseat-driving!"  
  
Clank sighed as Ratchet clasped him back on his...well...back.  
  
They crept closer to the door. Two large Drek-like guards came into view. They were busy chatting carelessly with each other.  
  
"This should be easier than I thought!" Ratchet whispered grinning to himself.  
  
"Now let's not get over confidant. Our survival could rest on being cautious!"  
  
Ratchet ignored him. In his opinion Clank was worrying way too much.  
  
After a second or so Ratchet bounded forward, Wrench in hand.  
  
The 2 guards didn't even have time to turn around, Ratchet knocked them both out without even breaking a sweat!  
  
"See? Nothing to worry about?" He said grinning.  
  
"Oh yeas but we're not even IN the woods yet! Let alone OUT!"  
  
Ratchet sighed & shook his head. He whipped out his Trespasser & cracked the invinco-lock's code, causing the large door to open.  
  
Ratchet walked into the large passage, wrench raised in case anything unexpected jumped out. But the passage was empty despite a few crates cluttering up the place.  
  
Ratchet walked along the passage keeping his eyes & ears wide open.  
  
After reaching the end of the passage he unclasped Clank.  
  
"Ok! Let's see that map!"  
  
Clank pressed a button on his chest & took out the appropriate Info-bot.  
  
It blinked at them before opening it's screen & displaying the map.  
  
"Ok, Now we're here...& it looks like we gotta get there...The fastest way would be along here....so obviously we're gonna have to take the long way around..."  
  
Clank gave him a quizzical look. "Why the long way around?"  
  
Ratchet sighed, putting the bot back in into compact mode. "Because no matter what happens we always end up having to take the long way around."  
  
Clank shrugged. Ratchet was right, they DID always end up having to take the long way around. He climbed back on Ratchet's back & they went on their way.  
  
They took the turns & twists that had been indicated on the map.  
  
Passing by on foot, with the aid of the swingshot & some swimming.  
  
After the short & uneventful trip the finally reached the door to the main control room.  
  
"See? I told you this would be easy!" Ratchet said  
  
"I don't know... the lack of enemies seems very suspicious to me." Clank said from his perch on Ratchet's back.  
  
"Oh don't be so paranoid! It's just because this isn't one of Drek's bigger projects! & Besides, security costs money & you know how Stingy Drek is!"  
  
Ratchet pulled out the Trespasser & started fiddling with the lock.  
  
"It just seems very odd to me." Clank said looking around incase something nasty might appear.  
  
"Whatever." Ratchet answered.  
  
The lock clicked & the door opened.  
  
A thick sick-yellow colored cloud poured out of the door!  
  
"Shit!" Ratchet yelled quickly cupping a hand over his mouth.  
  
The smoke enveloped him & Clank fast & soon the whole room was a thick haze.  
  
Ratchet started to cough. This stuff was obviously much more poisonous than he'd first thought. He quickly punched the blue button on his glove & selected the Gadget menu. He had to act fast, he was starting to feel dizzy. He found his O2 mask at last & hit the button. The mask morphed into place. Ratchet took a few deep breaths to regain his senses.  
  
"You alright?" Came Clank's voice from his back.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah I'm fine! Just didn't act fast enough that's all!" Ratchet snapped. He picked himself up from his crouching position & made his way through the door. "D'you know what this stuff is?" He asked.  
  
Clank glanced at the thick venomous mist that had now engulfed the whole passage. "I think it might be Mustard."  
  
Ratchet raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?!"  
  
"Mustard gas. It's quite toxic. It was designed for chemical warfare. What it basically does is when you inhale too much of it, it starts eating your lungs away from the inside & soon your whole lung collapses."  
  
Ratchet got a gray expression. "R..really?"  
  
"Oh don't worry, You'd know if it had started to take effect believe me!" Clank reassured him.  
  
"I knew that!" Ratchet said. He looked around the room. He could still more or less make out the layout despite the new swamp like effect.  
  
"Well despite our little stink-bomb problem there's no other idiot around."  
  
He unclasped Clank. The small robot went over to the main control panel to try & over-ride the system & get it to go into self-destruct.  
  
"Can you do it?" Ratchet asked inspecting the controls himself but couldn't make head or tail of it.  
  
"Well of course I can do it! I am programmed to be able to over-ride any system I choose...why I don't know..." Clank responded. He pressed a few buttons.  
  
After a few minutes Ratchet was getting restless.  
  
"Why's it taking so long?!" He said irritated.  
  
"I'm not sure! There's something wrong with this motherboard! It won't respond to any of my commands!" Clank said, also with a hint of irritation in his voice.  
  
"Well we can't stay here all day! Those guards at the door are sure to wake up at some time or another & I don't think they'll be very happy to find us still sitting around here!"  
  
Clank looked over the interior of the computer.  
  
"Let me try manual over-write." He punched in a few buttons.  
  
After a moments breath-hold the computer beeped.  
  
& Then suddenly the alarm blared.  
  
::INTRUDER INTRUDER. SECTION B-7. ALL ARMED PERSONEL TO THE MAIN CONTROL ROOM IMEDIATLY!::  
  
"Dammit!" Ratchet cursed. "C'mon Clank! I don't think this is the best place to hang around!"  
  
Clank didn't need telling twice. Without even bothering to get clasped on again He & Ratchet ran in the direction of the nearest exit.  
  
The room was being filled with armed personal.  
  
They were soon on the duo's tail.  
  
"THIS WAY!" Ratchet called making a sharp turn.  
  
"How do you know where we're going?!!" Clank called.  
  
"I don't!!!"  
  
"Oh THAT'S reassuring!!!"  
  
They ran on, Ratchet punched the blue button again & for the second time his Blaster morphed into his hand. He started shooting over his shoulder at the large security droids. He was able to take out quite a couple before...  
  
*Click click click* "BLAST!! Outta ammo!! If only that stupid red thing hadn't shown up earlier!!!!" Ratchet said putting the useless weapon away."  
  
"Can't you shoot with something else?!!" Clank called, he was finding it hard to keep up with Ratchet.  
  
"No!! I forgot to stock up the last time we were at a Gadgetron outlet!!"  
  
"Oh that's brilliant!! That's just...EEP!!!"  
  
Ratchet spun around  
  
One of the large robot guards had grabbed Clank!  
  
Ratchet twisted himself around to face the guard.  
  
"YOU DROP HIM!!!" He yelled, pulling out his wrench, which looked miniscule next to the large machine.  
  
The Robot turned to Ratchet & something resembling a grin crossed its totally expressionless face.  
  
"Get the Lombax!" it ordered the others. The large mass started making its way on top of Ratchet while the one with the squirming Clank disappeared in a direction. Ratchet wasn't sure what to do! On the one hand they had Clank, On the other he was about to get squashed!  
  
But he didn't have much time to think as they monsters started pulling out blasters of their own. They hadn't been using them when they were chasing Ratchet & Clank! "This was all a Trap!!" Ratchet yelled in realization!  
  
"Very good boy! NOW EAT PLASMA!"  
  
Ratchet turned to the nearest means of escape! A window!  
  
He pocketed his wrench & made a dash for it! With a spring he shot out of the glass & into the night! He stretched out his hands & grabbed hold of a nearby Tree branch. Flipping onto it he jumped on, monkey-style, to the next tree.  
  
Calls of "He's getting away! Shoot shoot!!!" followed him as well as a hail of yellow bullets.  
  
He leapt onwards for about 4 more trees before one of the bullets shot past his shoulder. With a cry of pain & surprise he lost his bearings in his jump & plummeted to the ground!  
  
Ratchet bounced off the branches along the way down & finally came crashing down onto a rather spiky bush. He groaned slightly but quickly darted under the bush, as the sound of footsteps grew closer.  
  
From his hiding place Ratchet saw the pair of large boots run past.  
  
"Where's he go?"  
  
"I dunno! I saw him fall somewhere near here!"  
  
"Well keep looking! We gotta find him!"  
  
"Don't worry! We've staked out the area, if we don't find him SOME-body will!"  
  
The pair ran off into the woods.  
  
After Ratchet was sure they'd left he crawled out from under the bush.  
  
"DAMN!" He said punching the ground "Damn damn damn DAMN!"  
  
He took a few minutes to calm down before he got up & brushed himself off. He was a mess! Covered in pine needles & covered in muddy earth. He sighed. Now what?  
  
a rustle caught his attention! He ripped out his wrench again. Whatever it was behind the bush wasn't making any movement now. Ratchet approached silently, wrench in hand. He reached out to the wall of leaves, wrench raised above his head. He took a deep breath & pulled the leaves out of the way The sight that met him was something he would never have expected in a billion years! A pair of large green eyes, a pointed snout & large ears peered back at him. After a moment's shock Ratchet & the thing both screamed & threw themselves backwards!  
  
"What are you doing you creep!" The thing shouted as it got up & marched over towards him.  
  
"I beg your pardon?!" Ratchet asked getting up himself.  
  
"Going about scaring the living daylights out of people! You've got some nerve!"  
  
The thing stopped & stood hands on hips glaring at him.  
  
It had long lean legs made for running & jumping, a thin yet small body & a very long wipsy tail with a tuff on the end. It also had large ears & acid- green eyes. All in all it was more or less the exact copy of Ratchet except for a few minor differences.  
  
1: It was a little shorter than he was  
  
2: it had long stringy brown hair going past its shoulders.  
  
3: it was wearing very different clothes to Ratchet  
  
And 4: It was female  
  
She glared at him.  
  
"& What are you doing waving that thing around! You could hurt some-one!" She said waving a hand at the Omni-wrench. She had a strange British like accent & talked quite fast.  
  
" Well if you hadn't sneaked up on me maybe I wouldn't have taken it out in the first place!" Ratchet said putting the wrench away.  
  
"Well if YOU weren't in MY part of the woods, I wouldn't have....Oh!" She stopped. Her ears raised a little & her angry expression disappeared. "You're hurt!"  
  
"Wha?" Ratchet looked down. His shoulder that had been grazed was bleeding. It looked nasty but Ratchet could see it wasn't as bad as it seemed.  
  
"Oh this! It's nothing."  
  
"Nothing my tail!" She said walking briskly over.  
  
She reached into a pocket in her white/yellow dress & pulled out a handkerchief. Before Ratchet could do anything she was busy wiping his arm with her hanky. Ratchet was a little taken aback. A few seconds ago this girl was chewing him out & now here she was taking care of him. He felt his face go red.  
  
She tied the handkerchief around the wound.  
  
"There. You have to be careful in these woods, even the smallest cut can become infected." She said  
  
"Thanx..." Ratchet said glancing at the bandage.  
  
"Well, gotta go!" He said giving her a smile as he started to walk off.  
  
"& Just where are you going?" She asked.  
  
"Nowhere." Ratchet answered. She trotted after him.  
  
"What do you mean 'Nowhere'?!"  
  
"Just what I said! Nowhere!" Ratchet said, he was getting annoyed. She was nice patching him up but now she was overstaying her welcome.  
  
"Well where is this nowhere?!"  
  
"None of your business!" Ratchet spat, surprising himself.  
  
"Well excuse me but YOU are the one who comes crashing into my woods & makes a big ruckus! I think I have a right to know what's going on here!" She said stopping & once again putting her hands on her hips.  
  
Ratchet sighed. "If you MUST know, Those Drek minion have one of my friends. I can't leave him!" he stopped walking for a second. "He's my friend...I gotta go!"  
  
He picked up his pace again.  
  
"So you're going back?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"At this time of night?!"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"To a place crawling with armed personnel?!"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"& With every-other Guard-bot on your tail armed to the teeth?!"  
  
Ratchet stopped dead in his tracks. She was right!  
  
"...Yes..." He said. More as a way of thinking than answering her.  
  
He turned to face her.  
  
She was wearing a triumphant grin on her face.  
  
"Ok ok so you got me! So what! You want a medal?!" He snapped at her.  
  
"I'm just trying to stop you from doing something stupid!" She yelled.  
  
"Well you're NOT helping! You're just being an..a-" Hew stopped, he suddenly felt dizzy. He swayed slightly.  
  
"Oh! I thought so!" She said running over & catching his balance for him.  
  
"Wha..what's with that?" Ratchet asked rubbing his spinning head.  
  
"I think that cut's got a hold of you" She said leaning him against her.  
  
She started leading him into the forest.  
  
"It's just a scratch, really.." He tried to protest " & I have to go get Clank...  
  
"C'mon. I'll take you back to my place...We can save your friend in the morning when things are quieter & you feel stronger." She said.  
  
Ratchet massaged his forehead. He was tired for some reason. He must've gotten hurt worse than he thought. He followed the new girl without question.  
  
He didn't know where she was taking him but as long as it's got a bed he'll be happy.  
  
Ratchet slowly woke up.  
  
He yawned & stretched himself.  
  
A sharp pain that shot through his arm made him recoil.  
  
He looked down. His arm was still wrapped up but this time in a proper bandage.  
  
He looked around the room he was lying in.  
  
It was dome shaped & seemed to be made up of a leather-like substance.  
  
The walls' were a cream color & the floor was made up of bamboo strips. It seemed that this was a one-room house. Shelves ran all around the room & were filled with bottles & pouches. Things were hanging from the ceiling. Strings of garlic & herbs of all different kinds. There was a large stone fireplace in the center of the room that seemed to double as a stove. There were brightly colored fabrics on the floor & hanging on every open part of the walls. One seemed to serve as a door. It was the only place where daylight was streaming in. Ratchet got up & made for it. He pushed the sheet aside to see what was behind it.  
  
It was the outside world. He walked out of the hut & stared at the scene that befell him. He was obviously on top of a hill with a large strip of open meadow in front of him. & All around him was a vast land of deep green pine & oak trees. As if he was standing on an island with a never-ending sea of green expanding into the point of the horizon. As humble as the small hut was Ratchet couldn't think of any better place to live.  
  
"Good morning!" a voice said cheerily behind him. He turned to see the girl he had met last night. She was carrying a basket filled with apples.  
  
"Sleep well?!" She asked  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah! Great!" Ratchet said.  
  
She put the basket down & tossed him an apple.  
  
"You better eat something! That gunk I fed you really wipes a guy out."  
  
Ratchet caught the apple. "What? What gunk?"  
  
"Last night when I brought you home you were beginning to get a fever. I told you wounds get infected easily in these woods! Luckily for you I know a thing or two about natural medicines," she said picking out an apple for herself. She sat down on the grass & bit a chunk out of the red fruit.  
  
"Now I GOTTA know who you are!" Ratchet said sitting down himself.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" She said giving him a sideways look.  
  
"Well..you patch me up, you bring me home, you feed me & I don't even know your name." Ratchet shrugged.  
  
"Why should I tell you anything if you haven't told me anything yourself!" She said taking another bite out of her apple.  
  
"Well I was just thinking that I'd like to know so I'd know who to thank." Ratchet said  
  
The girl eyed him. "First tell me who you are!"  
  
"Ratchet" he said  
  
"Sprocket" she answered  
  
Ratchet thought for a bit. "What sort of name is 'Sprocket' for a girl?"  
  
She pulled a face "What kind of a name is 'Ratchet' for a boy?!"  
  
Ratchet felt a little affronted. "It's only logical! I'm a mechanic!"  
  
"Oh! So that would explain this!" She said holding up his Omni-wrench 8000.  
  
"Hey! Give that back!" Ratchet yelled, not at all happy with the thought of some one else running around with his Favorite tool.  
  
"Alright alright don't throw a fit!" She said handing it back.  
  
"Geez Woman! You don't go taking a guys stuff while he's asleep!" Ratchet growled putting the wrench away  
  
"Oh no, I pulled it from you pocket when you weren't looking!" She said giving him a grin.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Ratchet asked, not sure if he should believe this statement  
  
"Oh yeah! My family's renowned for their pick-pocket skills!" She said beaming.  
  
"That's nothing to be proud of Sprocket!" Ratchet said.  
  
"Yeah I know..." She said suddenly much softer. She pulled her legs up. "But it's the only thing I can pretend to be proud of."  
  
Ratchet stared at her for a while; she didn't look at him. He sighed & looked at the horizon instead.  
  
"Ratchet..." She said suddenly turning to him. "Now I know who you are! You're that guy Drek's been looking high & low for!"  
  
Ratchet looked at her, his ears erect.  
  
"Wha..?!"  
  
"He's offering 5 million bolts to the person who turns you in! That's a lot of money you know! I just need half of that & I'll be able to get a proper home!" She said staring dreamily at the clouds.  
  
"You're home's just fine!" Ratchet said rather panicky.  
  
She stared at him. She then started to laugh.  
  
"I'm just kidding! I'm not renowned for earning a living off blood money!"  
  
Ratchet sighed. He was relieved to hear that! He could've easily taken this girl out if she had been a threat...but he felt that even if she were, he wouldn't want to.  
  
"Where's the little guy?" She asked, breaking Ratchet's train of thought.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Ya know! The little robot that's on the wanted poster." She said tossing her core away. "Oh..." Ratchet said, his ears drooped a bit.  
  
After an awkward pause Sprocket finally said. "He's the one you wanna rescue isn't he?"  
  
"Yeah." Ratchet said. "I don't have many friends...in fact...I think he's the only one of got."  
  
Sprocket sighed & stared blankly for a few seconds as if running something through her mind.  
  
"Well then!" She said slapping her knees & getting up. "We'd better go get him!"  
  
Ratchet stared at her wide-eyed. "We?!"  
  
"Well of course!" She said pulling him up. "From what I saw yesterday you aren't exactly the sharpest pickle in the shed! You need some-one with brains to help you!" She flashed him a grin.  
  
He smiled back. "Yeah." He tossed his own Apple-core away. " Besides, if there are any monsters in those woods I should have something to use for bait!"  
  
"Har har, very funny!" She said sticking her tongue out at him. "You keep that up & I'll leave you in there!"  
  
Ratchet was amazed at how easily this girl could find her way around the forest. She seemed to have a mental map of every short cut & back-road this place had to offer. So it didn't take very long before they came across an entrance, different to the one Ratchet & Clank had used previously, Sprocket had figured that Drek had figured Ratchet would take the same door, as he knew the way. Standing guard outside the door were two security droids. They were eyeing the terrain, weapons drawn.  
  
"Great!" Ratchet breathed from where he & Sprocket had taken cover. "We try smash our way through them & they'll wake the whole base up with their alarms!"  
  
"Don't you have some sort of way to sneak past them?" Sprocket whispered back.  
  
"Well yes, but it's only designed to disguise me & Clank, I don't have another morph suit for you too." Ratchet said.  
  
"Why don't you disguise yourself & I'll walk beside you as if I owned the place & I'm here to enroll you or whatever." She said.  
  
"& They'll let you in will they?" Ratchet asked doubtfully.  
  
"Oh they'll let me in," She said running her one hand through her hair.  
  
"I'm not sure about this..." Ratchet said eyeing the two large guards.  
  
"How about this, if anything goes wrong you can beat 'em up Ok?"  
  
Ratchet didn't have much other choice but to agree. He got the morph suit on, disguising himself as a robot. He signaled to Sprocket that he was ready. She nodded. She walked out into the open motioning him to follow. He nervously did.  
  
"HALT! Who goes there?!" One of the robots barked pointing his phaser at Sprocket. She didn't even bat a lid. She just smiled & said.  
  
"Oh...I'm the local mechanic here. I have to give this little guy a tune up but I don't seem to have the necessary equipment. So I was just taking him inside to get the right tools to fix him with."  
  
"No unauthorized Personnel!" The other one yelled.  
  
'Uh oh!' Ratchet thought. But Sprocket knew what to do next.  
  
She smiled again & walked up to them, signaling Ratchet to stay where he was.  
  
"But surely you could make on small exception for me?? Just little me." She smiled even bigger, she would have to stop soon or her face would surely split.  
  
The robots murmured to each other, they didn't seem to see the young girl as a threat, however Sprocket decided to add the cherry on top.  
  
"If you do...I promise I'll give you each an extra special tune up yourselves.." She leaned a little closer. "Make sure all your bolts are nice & tight..."  
  
Ratchet had often heard of the secret weapon girls called 'charm' but had never thought he'd actually get to see it in action. a few seconds later he & Sprocket were walking through the door way. Sprocket turned at the last minute & made a gesture with her hand.  
  
"Call me." She said winking at them. The two robots gave stupid laughs & waved as she & Ratchet moved out of sight.  
  
Ratchet pressed the button on his chest that took off the polymorph. He gave Sprocket an unaproving look. She caught his eye & shrugged.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You didn't have to lay it on so thick!" He grumbled crossing his arms sulkily.  
  
" It doesn't matter! At least we're in aren't we?" She said  
  
Ratchet muttered something. He was annoyed at Sprocket but also at himself. What on earth was wrong with him? They'd gotten into the building without a scratch & without any one being any the wiser & yet he felt he didn't like what had just happened at all. After a few twists & turns they came across a vast pool of water. Ratchet looked around but couldn't find a Hydro-drain. But then he didn't see anything particularly nasty in the water.  
  
"We're gonna have to swim it." He said putting away his wrench that he'd been carrying in case any guards had appeared.  
  
"What?!" Sprocket said looking quite shocked at the idea.  
  
Ratchet dived in. He soon submerged again.  
  
"Oh don't tell me you're scared of getting your hair ruined!" He said pulling a face.  
  
"No.." She said rubbing her arm sheepishly.  
  
"Well what then?!" Ratchet asked irritably.  
  
"I...I can't swim..." She said going red.  
  
Ratchet stared at her for a few seconds.  
  
"You can't swim?!" he said unbelievingly  
  
"I never learnt!" She said going even redder.  
  
"Hmmm...This is a problem..." Ratchet said swimming closer to the edge.  
  
"What do we do now?" Sprocket asked sitting down with her head in her hands.  
  
"Guess there's only one thing we CAN do!" Ratchet said.  
  
"Give up & go home?" Sprocket suggested.  
  
"No! I'm gonna have to carry you."  
  
Sprocket went red again.  
  
"What's you problem?" Ratchet asked raising an eyebrow. "I Carry Clank around on my back basically the whole time! I can handle it!"  
  
"Alright." Sprocket said.  
  
She climbed into the water & grabbed hold Of Ratchet as soon as she could. "I'm not too heavy am I?" She asked nervously  
  
"Don't tell me you're one of those weight watching girls!" Ratchet said as he started making towards the other side of the large pool.  
  
Sprocket rolled her eyes. "Do you EVER give a straight answer?"  
  
"No"  
  
She pulled a face.  
  
After a while something shadowy caught Sprocket's attention in the water.  
  
"Hey Ratchet..." She said giving one of his ears a slight tug.  
  
"Ow! Yeah?"  
  
"What's that?" She said pointing at the dark shape.  
  
Ratchet stopped & turned in the direction she was pointing. His face dropped when he saw the figure move closer.  
  
"Damn!" He yelled.  
  
He started swimming faster towards the opposite bank.  
  
"What is it?! What is it?!" Sprocket asked frantically.  
  
Ratchet didn't answer. He knew talking & swimming at the same time wasn't the best idea. But he knew very well what it was!  
  
It was a Guba-fish, A very big, very nasty fish that would eat more or less anything in the water.  
  
Ratchet knew that he had to get them out of the water & fast, but unlike the fish Ratchet wasn't as use to water as he let on. Having grown-up on the dry planet of Veldin he didn't get lots of swimming lessons! He wished Clank & his Hydro-pack were there!  
  
But wishing wasn't going to help any one!  
  
He pushed himself forwards.  
  
He was keeping himself & Sprocket just out of reach of the large Icthiod's long sharp teeth! Just a scrape with one of those & you're as good as dead! They were very poisonous!  
  
Ratchet was starting to get tired  
  
'No no!' He scolded himself. 'Just a little more just a little more!'  
  
He felt himself slowing down. Sprocket was clinging to him tightly in fear.  
  
'C'mon! c'mon!' He urged himself onwards.  
  
The fish was nipping at his heels, getting closer each time!  
  
"RATCHET!" Sprocket screeched.  
  
Ratchet willed, forced himself to go faster. He shot himself towards the upcoming edge. He finally felt his hand grip it. He wasted no time! He grabbed hold of Sprocket & flung her on the floor! He then pulled himself out of the water! The fish jumped up at the edge & gnashed out, but eventually it realized it couldn't get at them & grumpily swam away. After he was sure the monster had gone Ratchet threw himself on the floor. He was gasping for breath.  
  
Sprocket scrambled over to him.  
  
"Are you Ok?!" She asked. She was still shaking.  
  
Ratchet didn't have the breath to say yes so he merely nodded.  
  
Sprocket sighed & relaxed.  
  
"I thought we were going to be fish food!"  
  
Ratchet half laughed through his gasps.  
  
"Not today" He spluttered.  
  
Sprocket smiled slightly.  
  
"We...we'd better get going." Ratchet panted  
  
He didn't get up however.  
  
"Just give me a minute.."  
  
Sprocket nodded. She knew for a fact, Lombax & water aren't good bed partners. (If you'll excuse the expression)  
  
After a brief pause, allowing Ratchet to get his breath back he & Sprocket proceeded. They followed the passage down into the very intestines of the building, relying much on their ears to guide them. Although when it became absolutely necessary Sprocket queried some soldiers with loose tongues by batting her eyelashes at them. Every time she did Ratchet felt a prick go through him & he didn't like it at all!  
  
After walking quite a while they came across a big crevasse. It was so deep you couldn't even see the bottom. Ratchet chucked a stone into the darkness & watched it disappear. "Perfect!" Sprocket said crossing her arms. "great just great! How are we suppose to get past this?!"  
  
Ratchet wasn't listening. He was eyeing the roof over the chasm. He soon spotted what he was looking for. He activated his swing shot. Sprocket was still complaining.  
  
He grabbed her by the waist & puled her tightly against him.  
  
"HEY! What are you doing?!!" She asked quite shocked & going as red as a tomato! But Ratchet didn't listen he shot at the yellow panel with his free hand & swung across the large emptiness, wind whistling thru his fur & a cry from Sprocket tightly attached to his side.  
  
"OH...MY....GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH!!!!" She screamed as he let go of the swingshot & dropped to the ground on the other side. He let go of Sprocket. She slapped him across the face.  
  
"OW! HEY?!" Ratchet yelped in surprise, rubbing his cheek.  
  
"NEVER do that AGAIN!!" Sprocket screeched. "Without warning just like THAT?! What were you THINKING!"  
  
Ratchet eyed her. "I was thinking that if I told you what I was about to do you'd've said 'no way' & we'd still be on that side arguing."  
  
"Oh..." Sprocket thought about this, she knew he was perfectly right. "alright then...but don't do it again."  
  
Ratchet shrugged. He & Sprocket carried on walking. They soon reached the targeted room where they had been told Clank was being kept. The hid behind a large beam & peered over it to see what guards were watching over the small robot. It wasn't a very pretty site.  
  
"Wow! What are those things?!" Sprocket asked staring at the 2 large guards standing next to the small cell.  
  
Ratchet grew blue in the face.  
  
"Shit!" He muttered.  
  
"What?" Sprocket asked.  
  
"They're Snagglebeasts" Ratchet whispered back  
  
"What?! No way!" Sprocket was quiet alarmed, her ears shot upright.  
  
"yeah..." Ratchet grumbled.  
  
"I've heard about them but I've never actually seen one! Oh..This is bad! What are we going to do?" Sprocket was chewing her nails.  
  
Ratchet's brain was working on steroids. What to do, what to do.  
  
He finally decided on something.  
  
"Sprocket, I'm going out there to get the two guards' attention. I'll lead them away from here, You get Clank & get the heck out of the building. I'll meet you back at your place if I don't rejoin you on your way out."  
  
Sprocket turned to him wide eyed. "You're not serious!"  
  
Ratchet turned to her sharply & from his expression she could tell he was dead serious. She nodded sheepishly.  
  
"Alright..."Ratchet pressed the button on his glove & fiddled around with it. He soon pulled out the omni-wrench & handed it to her. "Take this & whack those bars open. If things get sticky on your way out use it without question you hear?"  
  
She nodded again.  
  
He smiled & started to walk out from under the cover but she grabbed his arm & jerked him back. He gave her an angry look. She stared at him for a few minutes before whispering.  
  
"Be careful..."  
  
He looked at her bewildered for a second or 2 before he nodded & smiled at her. He slipped around the corner pulling out his Blaster (Which He remembered to load before coming here.)  
  
"Hey! Hey you!" He yelled at the large animals waving his arms above his head.  
  
"RATCHET!" Came a cry from as Clank's head appeared. Ratchet grinned & gave Clank a half wave. He then turned his attention back to the two snagglebeasts who were very confused by the fact that Ratchet wasn't running in the opposite direction screaming as people usually did when coming face to face with a Snagglebeast.  
  
"Well?! Whatcha waiting for stupid?! You too dumb to see an easy meal when it smacks ya in the face?!! C'mon Bring it on!!" He stuck his tongue out at them.  
  
Now Snagglebeasts aren't the smartest of creatures but they knew when they were being taunted. They soon growled fiercely & started running straight at Ratchet how turned tail & ran down a different passage, The large animals in hot pursuit.  
  
"What is he doing?!" Clank asked to any-one who might be listening. He peered after Ratchet & the snagglebeasts as they disappeared.  
  
"That Ratchet is a nut case!" Clank said.  
  
"I'll say!" Sprocket popped up next to the cell.  
  
"GAH!" Clank hadn't expected any one to be in the room.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah I know I look a fright but I've been through a lot today!" Sprocket said cheekily as she started fiddling with the lock & the wrench.  
  
Clank came up to see what she was doing.  
  
" Who are you?" Clank asked.  
  
"I don't think this is the best time for introductions!" Sprocket said as she finally got the cell door to open. She reached inside & snatched Clank by the hand & pulled him in tow as she started running down a corridor.  
  
"May I ask what we are doing?!" Clank said half running half flying behind her.  
  
"I'm getting you out of course!" Sprocket said stopping briefly to decide on a turn.  
  
"But why?" Clank asked.  
  
"Listen! Let's get outta here first!" Sprocket said.  
  
They ran down another corridor. The alarm had already started blaring & guards were running around hectically.  
  
Sprocket had to take every precaution to keep out of sight. But she's not invisible & she had to knock out a guard or two before she could carry on.  
  
She stopped atone point to catch her breath.  
  
"We need to keep moving Miss!" Clank said tugging at her dress.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah just hold on a sec" She said.  
  
A hand fell on her shoulder.  
  
She gripped it & flipped its owner over her shoulder in a karate toss.  
  
"OW!" Ratchet sat up & rubbed his head.  
  
"O My Gosh! I'm sorry!" Sprocket said picking him up by the arm, a little too hard.  
  
"Hey hey hey! It's attached you know!" Ratchet said rubbing his now throbbing arm.  
  
"Sorry" Sprocket said.  
  
"Ratchet!" Clank ran over  
  
"Hey Clank! How you doing?" Ratchet said  
  
"How am I doing?! I've been kidnapped by the enemy & sitting in a cold dark cell waiting for the day when you decide whether you're going to rescue me or not!" Clank crossed his arms & glared at Ratchet.  
  
"It's good to see you too." Ratchet sighed.  
  
"Listen you two lovebirds! We gotta get outta here before we get turned into swiss cheese!" Sprocket said grabbing them both by the arm & getting them into running.  
  
"Wait we can't leave yet!" Ratchet said picking Clank up in mid run & strapping the robot to his back.  
  
"Why not?!" Sprocket yelled at him  
  
"We haven't destroyed this place yet! That's the main reason me & Clank are here!" Ratchet yelled back.  
  
"So why didn't you?!" Sprocket yelled as Ratchet grabbed her arm & pulled her into the control room.  
  
"We haven't been able to hack into the computer!" Ratchet said unclasping Clank & putting him down in front of the computer once again.  
  
Sprocket shook her head as she took up position by the door, ready to yell if any-one came near.  
  
Clank pushed & fiddled with the control pad but wasn't having much luck.  
  
"I still can't get past the system!" He said irritably.  
  
"Oh great!" Ratchet said grumbling.  
  
"What's the hold up?!" Sprocket yelled. She was getting nervous.  
  
"We can't hack thru the system. We need to get past it to get the computer to malfunction!" Ratchet said as she walked over.  
  
She leaned over Clank shoulder to see if she could figure anything out.  
  
"Oh come on! Why don't you just do this!" She said pressing a big red button  
  
"No!" Clank yelled but it was too late.  
  
::Base will ignite in 5 minutes::  
  
"See?" Sprocket grinned.  
  
"Oh this is not good!" Clank muttered.  
  
"What?" Sprocket asked confused.  
  
"Young lady do you know what ignite is?" Clank asked.  
  
Sprocket shook her head.  
  
"It means this whole base is about to combust!" Clank yelled.  
  
"Combust?" Sprocket put her head to one side.  
  
"Combust!!! BOOM!!" Ratchet yelled grabbing Clank by one hand & Sprocket by the other. They ran down the hallway as the countdown rang in their ears.  
  
"Which way do we take?!" Sprocket yelled.  
  
"The way out!" Ratchet yelled back.  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Clank yelled.  
  
"Not so fast!!"  
  
They turned a corner to come face to face with one of the large guards. He was grinning. "You wanna blow this place up fine! But stick around for the fireworks will ya?!" They turned around to run back the way they had came but another guard was tsanding in their way.  
  
"What now?" Sprocket asked tugging at him. Ratchet turned towards an open passageway that ended in a patio.  
  
"Ladies & Gentleman! We jump!" He said.  
  
"WHAT?!" Sprocket screeched but it was too late  
  
Ratchet Grabbed her & Clank & ran with them towards the upcoming loss of ground.  
  
::5...4...::  
  
They flung themselves off the patio & hurtled hoping for a soft landing.  
  
::3...2...::  
  
They hit the ground rather hard but Ratchet wouldn't let them rest yet. He grabbed them again & pulled them along as he ran away from the building.  
  
::...1...0!::  
  
The blast from the building threw them off their feet.  
  
The trio was thrown flat on the ground as debree & smoking remains from the base fell around them.  
  
After the roaring of the building that had been torn to shreds quieted they looked up to see what was left. & What was left was a smoldering remains of a building. It was smoking & was burning here & there. The land, which had turned to night, was bathed in a red glow, but the fires died down & soon nothing but gray clouds were billowing from the remains.  
  
"AHOOO!!!" Sprocket yelled in delight. "THAT WAS AWESOME! Oh that was great!! Oh That was so thrilling!!!"  
  
"Is she for real" Clank asked getting up & rubbing his head.  
  
"You were so brave!" Sprocket continued. She threw herself on Ratchet in a hug. Ratchet grinned nervously.  
  
"You were pretty good yourself!" He complemented her.  
  
" Hell It's not every day I get to blow up a whole base!" she said grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it." Ratchet said lamely.  
  
"Ahem" Clank coughed.  
  
"Huh? Oh! Oh yeah! Sprocket this is Clank." He said, realizing they hadn't been introduced yet.  
  
"So I gathered." Sprocket said  
  
"& Clank this is Sprocket." Ratchet continued ignoring Sprocket's remark.  
  
"Please to meet your acquaintance miss" Clank said in his usual polite way. She raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"'Acquaintance'?"  
  
Clank backed away a little, scared he might've offended her. She suddenly grabbed him by the waist.  
  
"OH RATCHET HE'S SO PRECIOUS!" She squealed in the usual girly way.  
  
She gripped Clank into a tight hug. "Awww!!! Oh my Gawd so Adorable!!! With the buttons & everything!!! HE'S SO CUTE!!"  
  
If Robots could blush Clank would've been the color of a lobster by now.  
  
Ratchet grumbled. "Yeah yeah yeah he's a lady- killer, can we go now?!"  
  
She put Clank down & turned to him.  
  
"Why Mr. Ratchet! I do believe you are jealous!" She said smiling brightly.  
  
"NO!" Ratchet said going red himself  
  
"Oh yes you are!"  
  
"No I am not!" Ratchet said wishing he could crawl under a sofa & hide.  
  
Sprocket just burst out laughing.  
  
"What's so funny?!!" Ratchet asked getting angrier & redder by the minute.  
  
"Let's just get back to my place!" Sprocket said through her giggles.  
  
So the 3 friends walked off into the woods laughing & joking. Scratched & bruised, but victorious.  
  
"He WHAT?!!" Drek screamed in rage.  
  
The bruised & beaten guard cowered. "It's true sir! Came into the base, beat up every-one in his way, rescued the robot & then left blowing up the whole base!"  
  
Drek growled & started to pace. "But HOW?! He beefed up security 38%! He shouldn't even have been able to get thru the front door!"  
  
"Well..that's the thing sir...He didn't USE the front door." The guard said  
  
"WHAT?!" Drek snapped round  
  
"He...He used the Mechanic's entrance."  
  
"Don't tell me that your bungling goofs for guards let in the most wanted Lombax in the universe just because he was a MECHANIC!!!" Drek spat.  
  
"n...No sir! He..he was in disguise...The..the girl was the one who we thought.."  
  
"Girl?" Drek turned to the guard.  
  
"Y..Yes! A young Lombaxion local! Our records show her to be one, Sprocket! She lives in the woods & knows her way around quite well!" The guard spluttered, glad that he was saying something that wasn't making Drek yell at him.  
  
"& She was WITH this Ratchet?" Drek asked.  
  
"Yes sir!" The guard nodded. He could almost hear the gears in Drek's head work. Drek rubbed his chin & a crooked smile grew across his face.  
  
"Well well well...a girl...our young fugitive hanging out with the opposite sex."  
  
"What are you getting at sir?" The guard asked.  
  
"We are going to continue the kidnapping situation!" Drek said turning to the guard.  
  
"But now I want you to bring the target here to be kept in our top security cells, & I want you to change targets!" He smiled as his blue eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
"Yes..." He said to himself. "a girl...of course...!"  
  
"OW!"  
  
Sprocket slapped Ratchet's hand away. "That stings!"  
  
"Well maybe it wouldn't sting so much if you'd just sit still!" Ratchet scolded.  
  
Sprocket grumbled. Ratchet pulled the cloth dipped in the green colored gwam again & patted the cut on Sprocket's forehead.  
  
"I thought I was suppose to be the medicine expert." She complained twisting her face in a painful expression.  
  
"Yeah well you helped me when I got hurt so the least I could do is help you." Ratchet said. He pulled back. "There, no harder than mending a Spherofactor!"  
  
"Whatever that is" Sprocket said getting up & feeling the cut. "It's not like you got out of that explosion without a wrinkle yourself ya know!"  
  
Ratchet pulled a face at her.  
  
"If you ask me you both were acting childish!" Clank said from where he was sitting.  
  
"Hey we could've just left you there!" Ratchet said turning to Clank.  
  
"I wouldn't have been surprised if you did!" Clank said giving Ratchet a dirty look.  
  
"Oh come off it you two!" Sprocket said. She walked over to the fireplace & fiddled with the burning logs.  
  
Ratchet & Clank stopped bickering but kept giving each other sideways glances.  
  
Later that night Ratchet woke up. He rolled over from the place that had been made up on the floor. He turned to Sprocket's bed but was surprised to see she wasn't there.  
  
He sat up & looked around the small room. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. Ratchet got up.  
  
Clank was snoozing in a corner & Ratchet didn't feel like having a lecture about sneaking around this time of night.  
  
Ratchet tiptoed out of the hut. He looked at the magnificent view that unfolded before him. Even in the dark of night it was beautiful.  
  
Ratchet noticed the silhouetted figure sitting on the grass a little way off. He walked closer.  
  
Sprocket didn't turn around.  
  
Ratchet sat down beside her & Stared at the moon.  
  
"...It's funny" She said after a while.  
  
Ratchet turned to look at her. "What?"  
  
"The way things work out." She sighed. " All my life, I've told myself to stay down & quiet, out of history's way. & Yet somehow, I always find myself running around...trying to be a hero..." She turned to look at him. "I use to be a real somebody...I was popular, I had a family, I had a future."  
  
Ratchet cocked his head to one side. "You were a celebrity?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, a freedom fighter...I fought against Drek, trying to liberate the galaxy from his grip. Or at least that's how it started....soon I was doing it for the publicity. I didn't keep anything a secret. Every-body knew who I was & where I lived & more or less could guess What crazy stunt I was going to pull of next. I loved the fame, the people calling me a hero, a somebody..."  
  
She paused. Here eyes stared to shine.  
  
"&..& then...one day...I was coming home after a mission...it had been successful & I was going to make sure every-one knew that. The first people I was going to tell was my brother & older sister...the only relatives I had left." Tears started to run down her cheeks. "But..but when I walked through the door....D..d..Drek had gotten there first..."She hung her head & started to cry heavily. "E..Every-one knew who I was & how much I hated Drek...it..it was no secret Drek would do anything to get hold of me...But I never thought about how far he'd go!" She put her face in her hands. "& My sister & Brother paid for my actions! & All I could do when I opened the door was scream!" She choked "I just screamed..."  
  
Ratchet listened in disbelief. After a pause Sprocket continued.  
  
"..So I told myself I'd disappear...I'd find somewhere, where I could be alone...out of the way..It seemed to work. Drek forgot about me & continued on with his evil plans....not seeing me as a threat anymore. & I just continued my life...alone with no one..."  
  
She sighed, she had calmed down a little by this time. Ratchet's ears dropped a little.  
  
"But..but couldn't you leave now that people have forgotten about you?" He asked.  
  
She shook her head again. "I've been restricted to this planet. I'm not aloud to leave it without being arrested. & Knowing Drek he won't bother with messy things like trials or justice. You've seen how he operates, any one standing in his way he simply wipes out...I'm all I have left...& I'm not even sure that's something worth fighting for..." When she started to cry again Ratchet put his arms around her shoulders & pulled her against his chest. She buried her face in his fur & cried herself out.  
  
"It's alright..." Ratchet comforted her, he ran a hand back & forth across her back. "It'll be alright."  
  
He pulled her tighter against him, quietly stroking her as she calmed started to calm down.  
  
"I have nothing now..." She said quietly. Ratchet put his hand under her chin & lifted her head so that she could look him in the eye.  
  
"You've still got me..." He smiled slightly.  
  
She smiled back & lay her head back down. " Right now I don't think I need anything else."  
  
Clank yawned & rolled over. He was surprised when he found Ratchet was lying down sleeping. He got up & peeked outside.  
  
"Ratchet?" He asked.  
  
He looked around the night landscape & finally spotted Ratchet.  
  
He was sitting looking out over the dark world with his arms tightly around Sprocket.  
  
Clank decided that now wasn't the best time to lecture him about staying in top condition.  
  
He turned around & went back inside, smiling to himself.  
  
The next day started early for the trio. Ratchet & Clank were gathering up things that they had left lying around the place. Clank did a scan of himself to make sure he had all his info-bots, Ratchet gave his weapons & Gadgets a quick polish with some stuff Sprocket had dug up. Sprocket changed the bandages on Ratchet's arm even though he complained a lot. Sprocket was not known for ignoring a chance to argue. After everything was done, with arguments, bickering & exchange of ideas, Ratchet & Clank were finally at Sprocket's front 'door' bidding her so long. They had dawdled too long on Eudora & if the two outlaws stayed in one place too long they were sure to get caught. So it was that the duo was making plans to leave again.  
  
Sprocket was busy giving a struggling Clank the cuddles.  
  
"Oh! You better come back & visit me when you start getting order in your life ya hear?!" She said making purring like noises as she pressed the small robot against her.  
  
"Y..Yes miss, whatever you say miss..." Clank spluttered.  
  
"Miss" She giggled. "Isn't he precious?!!"  
  
Ratchet giggled at Clank's discomfort. Eventually Sprocket released him from her death grip. Clank shook her hand one last time.  
  
"I will look forward to seeing again miss, you are quite...er...eccentric." He said, finding it hard to put it delicately.  
  
She smiled & winked at him. "Likewise!"  
  
She then turned to Ratchet & her bubbliness faltered a little.  
  
"Well....I guess this is goodbye." She said giving Ratchet a half smile.  
  
"I guess so." Ratchet shrugged.  
  
"Well, take care of yourself you hear. Think before you do anything stupid...though I doubt that's possible" She gave a half laugh.  
  
Ratchet nodded.  
  
There was a bit of an awkward silence.  
  
"You'd...better get going." Sprocket finally said.  
  
Ratchet nodded. He looked at her one last time before he started to walk off into the forest in the direction of his ship, Clank walking beside him.  
  
He turned around at the foot of the hill. Ratchet was still watching him, standing in front of her hut, looking so dismayed & alone Ratchet found his breath grow hot. Not being able to bare it any more, he turned around & kept on walking away.  
  
Standing on top of the hill Sprocket sighed as she watched the boy & robot walk away. She hung her head & tears joined the dewdrops on the soft grass in the early rays of the day.  
  
a little way off two of the guards I refer to as 'Charlie's angels' (For obvious reasons if you've played the game) were watching the scene. One of them blew his nose on a handkerchief.  
  
"Will you keep quite you big dope!" The other one said jabbing his friend in the ribs.  
  
"I can't help it! I'm a sucker for a sop story!" The first one sobbed.  
  
"Just don't forget the mission!" The larger & obviously more serious guard spat.  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah. Do we nab her now?" He asked.  
  
"No, wait quite a while after the boy has disappeared, then when we're sure he's gone we'll get her. That Ratchet's quite an opponent but I think we can handle one girl don't you?"  
  
The sniggered to themselves as the oblivious Sprocket went back into her house, wiping her eyes.  
  
Clank strolled down the dusty path through the trees back towards the spaceship. He glanced at Ratchet who was walking silently beside him. It wasn't usual for Ratchet to be this quiet. The lombax had his head hung & was seemingly deep in thought. He looked quite upset & Clank could bet he knew why. He just wished there was something he could do to help lift spirits. But he couldn't think of anything.  
  
Ratchet was busy fighting against the Exasperation inside himself, & he was losing pathetically. He didn't really know what was wrong. He wanted to defeat Drek sure! He wanted to save the universe & he wanted to finish his great adventure, but for some reason he didn't want to leave the planet. & The only good reason he could think of he denied.  
  
"Oh darn it!" Clank suddenly said stopping & fiddling with his chest compartment.  
  
Ratchet's train of thought was broken, he turned to Clank.  
  
"What's up?" He asked . Clank grumbled. "Wouldn't you know it! I went through my info-bots about 8 times & it seems I'm one shy! I must've left it back at Sprocket's! We can't just FORGET about it! We need that thing! We'll have to go back & get it!"  
  
"CLANK!" Ratchet yelled unintentionally. He realized he sounded too pleased there for a moment, so did Clank. But he tactfully replied.  
  
"It isn't MY fault! You don't need to get angry at me!"  
  
"You goofball! Come on, Guess we'd better go get it." Ratchet sighed as if this was something that was seriously going to screw up his whole schedule, inside he was singing.  
  
It took every once of will power Ratchet had to stop himself running up the hillside. After all, he had a reputation to uphold. The 2 of them walked up the hillside talking & laughing. The finally reached the front door.  
  
"Hey Sprocket!" Ratchet called, not wanting to just barge in. but when she didn't answer he wasn't sure what to think.  
  
"'Ey! It's us! Ratchet & Clank!" again she didn't answer.  
  
Ratchet gave Clank a questioning look. Clank shrugged in response.  
  
Ratchet pulled the rug that served as a door aside.  
  
"Hello? Sprocket? It's us, we...." He stopped.  
  
The whole house was in disarray! The shelves had been torn from the walls, the jars, some of which were broken, lay smashed, their contents spilt. The drapings in the walls where slashed to shreds. Furniture was broken & bed sheets also slashed, the fire was still going in the fireplace, the pot in which Sprocket had obviously been preparing lunch had its contents spilt. All in all the room looked like a tornado had hit it more than once. Ratchet couldn't believe this! What had happened?!  
  
Clank peeked Ratchet's legs, which were blocking his way.  
  
"Oh my!" He exclaimed.  
  
"What the hell happened here?!!" Ratchet practically yelled.  
  
"Calm down calm down!" Clank said quickly.  
  
"Clam down?!! CALM DOWN?!! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!!"  
  
Clank backed away nervously, he hardly ever had the treat to see Ratchet when the guy was really mad.  
  
"I'm gone for 5 minutes & She goes & gets herself into some kind of trouble!!! WHAT THE =Ratchet said something that made Clank flinch=!!!"  
  
Ratchet stomped out of the hut. Clank hurried after him.  
  
"Where are you going?" He asked, jogging to keep up.  
  
"We're going back to the ship & blasting off this planet!!" Ratchet spat in repugnance.  
  
"I beg your pardon?! What about Sprocket?!" Clank yelled quickening his step.  
  
"What about Sprocket?!!" Ratchet said not looking at the robot.  
  
"You aren't just going to leave like that are you?! She's obviously in trouble!" Clank argued.  
  
"That's got nothing to do with me!" Ratchet said through his teeth  
  
"How can you SAY that?! It's got EVERYTHING to do with you!" Clank said in disbelief.  
  
"It's not my fault! I had nothing to do with this! It's her own fault she got herself into a mess, not mine!" Ratchet shouted suddenly turning around to face Clank.  
  
"So you are just going to run away, is that it?!" Clank had the amazing ability to yell at some one without ever raising his voice.  
  
"Listen! I don't need to take this from you!! We are getting back to our ship, we are getting on it & we are blasting off of here!!!" Ratchet yelled.  
  
"I am not moving from this spot!" Clank said crossing his arms.  
  
"You are so pig-headed!!!" Ratchet yelled in exasperation.  
  
"I'M Pig-headed?! I cannot believe you! You are mean, spiteful, down right rude & have no regard for any one but yourself! You know very well there is only one person who could have done this! & That is Drek! & I bet that if it wasn't for you getting too close to that girl Drek wouldn't even have known of her existence! I saw you! I believe you should at least take SOME responsibility for this!!" Clank was getting really outraged by Ratchet's sudden heartless behavior.  
  
Ratchet gave Clank a very prejudice look. He then spun around & stomped back up the hill towards the hut.  
  
"Oh so now You have nothing to say?!" Clank yelled running after him.  
  
"You were saying quite a lot a few minutes ago!! All that Abhorrence just vanished did it?!!"  
  
Ratchet pushed the rug aside & went into the hut. Clank followed. Ratchet plunked down & stared furiously at the flames in the fireplace. Clank was boiling.  
  
"I really cannot believe your stubbornness! Are you going to tell me you aren't going to do anything?!!" The small robot was quivering  
  
"Have you no Shame?!! Have you no compassion?!! Have you No Charity?!! How can live with yourself?!! How can...?!!"  
  
Ratchet's shoulders shook for a moment.  
  
Clank stopped. Ratchet wasn't facing him. Clank walked closer, not sure what to think. "Ratchet?"  
  
Ratchet looked up. Clank was startled to see the silver streaks running down the boy's face.  
  
"You're right..." Ratchet said resting his chin on his arms which were hugging his legs.  
  
"...." Clank didn't know what to say.  
  
"It is my fault...It's always my fault." his shoulders shook again.  
  
The small robot felt a prick of guilt run through him. "I...I didn't mean it that way..."  
  
"Oh yes you did, & you were right. This whole mess is my fault. It happened to Sprocket...It's going to happen to me..."  
  
Clank put his head to one side, not quite understanding.  
  
"Drek will stop at nothing to hurt the ones who crosses him! & The best way to do that is to take away the things that we will never be able to get back..."  
  
Ratchet buried his face in his hands & cried it out, it tore Clank open to see the rock-hard Ratchet like this.  
  
"Sooner or later any-one & every-one close to me is going to pay for my stupid mistakes. & Their blood will be on MY hands! Drek may wield the knife...but I equipped him with it..."  
  
"No no that's not true..." Clank said running quickly to the Lombax's side. "I didn't mean what I said, I was upset!"  
  
"Upset or not you were right." Ratchet said getting up & wiping his eyes. "& You know it..."  
  
Clank didn't say anything...  
  
"But sir!!" The guard pleaded once more.  
  
"I will have none of this! You've had your orders from Drek! Make sure you follow them!! One girl can't be that hard to control!" The sergeant spat.  
  
The guard hung his head. "Yessir..." He said dejectedly.  
  
The sergeant nodded & the poor guard returned to the space shuttle's cells.  
  
"It's time for the prisoner's Feeding!" a cook-like person said handing the guard.  
  
"No! NO Please!!! I beg you!! Do not send me in that den of lions!!!" The guard yelled throwing himself at the Cook's feet.  
  
"REALLY!" The cook said pulling him up in disgust & thrusting a bowl of sloppy porridge in his arms. "I've never seen such a loser! Just feed the girl will you?!"  
  
"Why don't you?!!"  
  
"Well...uhm..uh...I...I have to make some more stuff for the soldiers! Busy busy busy you understand!" The cook said quickly.  
  
The guard grumbled something & walked over to the cell door, opening it.  
  
The door swung open, The guard gulped & stepped inside.  
  
"Your dinner for today girl!" The cook heard him say.  
  
A second later the bowl shot out of the room crashing against a wall & splattering porridge every-where.  
  
After a lot of shouting & noise the guard scrambled frantically out of the cell, covered in tiny cuts & bruises. He quickly locked the cell with trembling hands.  
  
"& DON'T LET ME CATCH YOU TRYING TO SERVE ME THAT JUNK AGAIN!!!" A female voice shrieked from the cell.  
  
The guard ran & hid behind the cook.  
  
"That Woman is CRAZY!" The guard yelled. "Look! She even bit me a couple of times!!"  
  
"With those teeth? Ouch!" The cook remarked.  
  
"I ain't gonna be able to live through this!" The guard shuddered.  
  
"I'll have to cook special for her, usually prisoners don't get special treatment but we can't have all the guards living in paranoia! I'll go fix up something that's actually edible!" the cook said hurrying away.  
  
Sprocket peeked through the bars.  
  
"Oi!! Guard dude!! Don't you think you should get some-one to clean up this mess!" She said indicating the spilt porridge. "Honestly! What kind of prison are you running?!!"  
  
The guard took a deep breath & went to get a mop will muttering to himself;  
  
" It's only one girl, It's only one girl, It's only one girl..."  
  
Ratchet & Clank decided to spend the night at the hut until they could figure out what action to take next. Clank was worried about Ratchet. He regretted yelling at him. But he just wasn't use to Ratchet being so emotional.  
  
He sighed & continued to try & restore order to the dissected hut. Ratchet was sitting outside staring at the sky. He sighed as he tried to figure himself out. He was nothing but a scramble of emotions at the moment. As the feelings danced together swaying & swirling inside him he really didn't know which one he was suppose to be feeling. Malice, Sorrow, Abhorrence, Remorse, despair, dismay.... It was all so confusing.  
  
"Man I hate Puberty!" He muttered.  
  
The stars above him sparkled, carelessly, Ratchet wondered how many of them were the same ones he's watched on Veldin. Each world's night sky was so very different from the next. He wondered which one had the most things orbiting it, He wondered which one Veldin was circling, and He wondered which one Sprocket was circling... He wondered why the hell that star was heading straight towards Eudora!!  
  
The speck of light turned out to be a ship, hurtling not out of control, but still recklessly towards where he was. It wasn't a very fast ship & didn't look like the top class money could buy but it went pretty fast.  
  
It landed bouncily on the side of the hill. Ratchet pulled out his wrench & tensed himself. The cockpit door opened & out climbed a flying Drek guard. Ratchet found some inexplicable anger growing inside him. The presence of this creature infuriated him! The guard looked around panicky. He noticed Ratchet & charged towards him, arms flying like some kind of madman.  
  
"HELP HELP!!! OH MERCY MARY!!" The guard grabbed Ratchet round the waist & shook him slightly. "YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME!!!"  
  
Ratchet was way to confuzzled to even try & figure out what was going on!  
  
"C..c...Could y..y...you .l..l...let m..m...me g..g...go n..n...now?!" Ratchet spluttered between shakes.  
  
Clank, who had heard the commotion, came out from the dome shaped house.  
  
"What's going on Ratc... Oh!" He was quite startled by the scene. Acting in instinct he quickly dropped the small surviving jar he was holding (Promptly smashing it) & ran over.  
  
"Let go of him you big brute let go!!" Clank shouted.  
  
"Hey! It's Ok Clank! Down boy!" Ratchet said as the massive guard put him down.  
  
Ratchet brushed himself off. Clank was giving the large man suspicious looks.  
  
"Now, Who are you & what was that about?!" Ratchet said putting his hands on his hips.  
  
Clank muttered something. Ratchet gave him a small nudge telling him to shut up.  
  
"I Just can't take it anymore!" The guard said, he was shaking like a leaf.  
  
"Look can you hurry it up, I'm not one found of talking to Drek's lackeys!"  
  
The guard took Ratchet's advice & started talking.  
  
"My name's Dran. I'm a prison guard at Dreks' main space station. Not very long ago the guards brought in a new prisoner. A Young Lombaxion girl..."  
  
Ratchet promptly snapped to attention. "Sprocket?" He grabbed the guard by his collar. "You better tell me where she is or so help me I'll....!!!"  
  
"Hey hey hey I'll be happy to tell you where she is!!" The guard said quickly.  
  
Ratchet let go. He cocked his eyebrow at Dran. "Really? Well why!"  
  
The guard started to shudder as he put his face in one of his hands.  
  
"She's driving us crazy! She's creating complete havoc on that space station! She bites, she kicks, She hits, she scratches! She's a bloody nightmare!! No matter what we do she doesn't shut up!! She's like some demon from Hell!"  
  
"'Ey! I get the picture!" Ratchet said, not to happy with the way the guard was talking. "Even after we beat her she won't..."  
  
"YOU BEAT HER?!!" Ratchet grabbed the guard again.  
  
"I said it doesn't effect her!!" The guard yelled panicky, the man was a natural Coward.  
  
"I am so close to busting your head in right now!!!" Ratchet said grinding his teeth.  
  
" I would advise you to tell him where she is so that he could have something else to concentrate on." Clank said, he'd been watching the scene with some amusement.  
  
"She's at Drek's main space station orbiting Haroo!" The guard quickly dribbled.  
  
Ratchet let him go & ran towards the guard's ship. Clank quickly followed.  
  
"So It's off to Haroo then right?!" He asked  
  
"Right on!" Ratchet said hopping into the spaceship's cockpit. (It would take too long to get to his own ship)  
  
Clank ran up to the side of the ship.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Ratchet asked from his position in the driver's seat. Clank looked up at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"  
  
Ratchet was busy fiddling with something under the control panel. "You're not going!"  
  
Clank wasn't sure he heard correctly. "I'm not going?"  
  
"You're not going!"  
  
Clank crossed his arms, he wasn't sure how Ratchet could make Jokes at a time like this. "& How do you propose to start the ship without me?! You know you can only start a ship if you have the robotic..."  
  
The ship gave a shudder, like a car struggling to start. Clank felt like he had just had a slap in the face. The ship shuddered & growled again. On the third try it started. Ratchet's head popped up.  
  
"I ain't called a mechanic for nothing! The ship's ain't worth a dime now but it'll go!" The ship started to hover. Clank panicked.  
  
"You aren't leaving me here!!"  
  
"I'll be back for you!" Ratchet said as he started to prepare to blast off.  
  
"No!! You aren't leaving me here!!!" Clank yelled  
  
"Yes I am!!" Ratchet yelled back  
  
"What gives you the right to think you can just abandon me on this...!!!"  
  
"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU OK?!!!!" Ratchet yelled out in rage. He stopped as he realized what he'd just blurted out. He hung his head. Clank was staring at him in disbelief.  
  
"I care ok? I don't want you to get hurt...Remember what I said? About the best way to hurt some one? Well I can't let that happen...not again"  
  
"So You're abandoning me?!!!" Clank yelled enraged & yet sad at the same time. Ratchet didn't answer this time he just continued to lift upwards. Clank was yelling & shouting, demanding that Ratchet come back & pick him up. But Ratchet did no such thing.  
  
He screwed his eyes up as he forced himself to press the blast off button, leaving the devastated Clank behind as he rocketed off into the night sky.  
  
Ratchet's stomach was churning with guilt & doubt as he embarked off for the very first time without his partner in crime. But he didn't have time to feel sorry for himself. He had a job to do!  
  
After a short trip the Planet Haroo came into view, & shortly after it the space station. Ratchet got the ship onto the landing pad. He activated his O2 mask & got out. "Ok," He said to himself. "Now what Ratchet?"  
  
He looked towards the different passageways trying to make up his mind on which one to take. It was a little frustrating; he usually had a map or something to work on. Now he only had raw instinct, which didn't work to well in a high-tech space station. Plus the place was HUGE & probably crawling with guards & other people. Speaking of which he noticed another ship was coming in for a landing. He quickly chose a passage & ran off into it, wrench in hand.  
  
He walked down the passage aimlessly, not even sure if this was the right way. He cursed & swore out of frustration. He walked quite a way before the passage forked.  
  
After flipping a bolt (Lame joke I know) He headed down the left one. But upon turning the corner he walked slap-bang into a robot guard.  
  
After being knocked over & quickly jumping back to his feet he got his wrench ready. The robot lunged at him!  
  
Ratchet jumped into the air & brought his wrench down in a hammer slam on the thing's back. But it must've been an upgraded version of the robot Ratchet knew because the wrench hardly dented its armor!  
  
Ratchet was quite shocked by this but didn't let it cloud his judgement!  
  
He quickly retaliated in his attack, swatting at the robot trying to find a weak spot. But wherever he striked he did very little damage. The robot, who had been holding back just to be amused by Ratchet's frustration now got annoyed by the boy's persistence. As Ratchet paused to try & activate a more efficient Weapon the robot's large arm shot out at lightning speed, grabbing the startled Mechanic who didn't think anything mechanical thing could move that fast!  
  
It grabbed him by the throat & pinned him to the wall! Automatically Ratchet's hands shot up as he tried to ply the large hand away. This only infuriated the robot more & he started to raise Ratchet off the ground & tightened his grip!  
  
Ratchet choked as he felt his trachea being pushed to the back of his throat!  
  
His eyes started to water as his lungs burned. He tried to lash out at the robot in any way possible! Kick him, hit him, bite him, ANYTHING!! But he couldn't reach him.  
  
His strength was beginning to fail him, his vision started to blur. His chest felt like it was about to burst if it hadn't already! His lungs screaming for air!  
  
As his vision started to blacken he noticed the robot's ugly mug grinning malevolently at him!  
  
Ratchet closed his eyes out of exhaustion.  
  
He thought he heard the sound of a metallic scream. He thought he saw flashes of lights through his lids. He felt the hand let go of him as he collapsed on the floor. Fresh air rushed back into him. Each inhale was as painful as a kick in the gut, but to have sweet air fill him again was such a relief.  
  
His senses started to return to him & he realized something was gently shaking him awake again.  
  
"Ratchet! Ratchet are you Ok?!" A voice asked urgently.  
  
Ratchet opened his eyes & pushed himself up in a sitting position.  
  
"Yeah I'm...HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!!" He yelled outraged Clank fixed him with one of his stares.  
  
"I Specifically told you to stay!!!!" Ratchet yelled through his huffing & puffing.  
  
"WTF Do you think You're DOING here?!!"  
  
Clank frowned. "Listen! I know everything about losing some-one you care about!"  
  
"Oh you do do you?!!!" Ratchet yelled.  
  
"Yes I do!!! Why on earth do you think I'm here?!!" Clank said.  
  
Ratchet stared at him. Clank sighed. "We're friends...friends look out for each other. You didn't expect me to just take a seat when you're out here risking your hide? I can't do that! So I got into our ship & followed you!"  
  
Ratchet was quite stunned but soon broke into a smile. He turned towards the robot guard, which was lying on the floor shut down.  
  
"Wow! What did you do?!" Ratchet remarked.  
  
"I short circuited his RAM. It's not that hard to do." Clank remarked  
  
"Yeah, it wasn't really that great any idiot could do it I bet!" He gave Clank a grin.  
  
Clank just shook his head in a good-natured way.  
  
Ratchet clasped the small robot to his back.  
  
"C'mon Buddy....Let's go save Sprocket!!" & the 2 of them ran off down the passage..  
  
"You think the guard would've been nice enough to get us a map!" Ratchet grumbled as he turned yet ANOTHER corner.  
  
"Ratchet, have you thought of the possibility that this might be a trap?" Clank asked gingerly.  
  
"Yeah I have, but what choice do we have?" Ratchet said as he ran onward. "There's a lot at stake here!"  
  
Clank kept quiet as he tried to see exactly what besides Sprocket was at stake.  
  
"There's not that many things at stake as such Ratchet" He finally said. Ratchet didn't reply, he just kept on running.  
  
"You're attracted to her aren't you?"  
  
"Look let's just find her OK?!" Ratchet said as a way to stop the embarrassing conversation. He could already feel the blood rushing to his face.  
  
Clank got the picture & let it drop.  
  
"How are we to find her?" Asked as to change the subject.  
  
"Well We'll just have to find some sod who'll know where to find..." He stopped.  
  
"What now?!" Clank whispered.  
  
"Quiet a minute!" Ratchet's ears where flinching left & right.  
  
"Do you hear that?"  
  
Clank put a hand against his 'ear'. "I'm not sure...no I can't hear...Oh wait! Yes I do!"  
  
A soft feminine voice was drifting down the passage from somewhere ahead.  
  
"I saw a raven's plumage pale"  
  
"I saw him drink the blood of the Gael"  
  
"Above Calch Mor the gulls will wail"  
  
"Tonight the prophet gets paid..."  
  
Ratchet turned his head trying to hear where the sound was coming from. It was so soft it was very hard, but Clank seemed to have realized this because he wasn't saying anything. After a few minutes Ratchet pointed to a corridor going down right.  
  
"This way!" He said & started sprinting down it.  
  
He could still here the melody echoing off the walls  
  
"Uiq's stone, so high & wide"  
  
"Odin's birds have it in their sight"  
  
"In Scaristavore they'll weep tonight"  
  
"Tonight the prophet gets paid"  
  
" & He who dances shall see him"  
  
"& That lie will deceive him"  
  
"For there are those who cannot see him"  
  
"Tonight the prophet gets paid"  
  
Ratchet turned another corner, wrench in hand as the adrenaline pumped through him.  
  
"Hey take it easy!" Clank said as Ratchet started to speed up. Clank was amazed at how fast the boy could move when he wanted to. He didn't need to be silent any-more. The singing was quite clear now.  
  
"At Channory they scream advance"  
  
"The dove, the crow they circle & dance"  
  
"Tasg's spirits hold them in a trance"  
  
"Tonight the prophet gets paid"  
  
" & He who dances shall see him"  
  
"& That lie will deceive him"  
  
"For there are those who cannot see him"  
  
"Tonight the prophet gets paid"  
  
Ratchet saw the large door with the words 'FORTIFIED ENCLOSURE' above the door. He didn't even bother to get his Trespasser out. HE simply jammed his wrench in between the two doors & wedged them open.  
  
"Libran moon it waxed & waned"  
  
"Darkness felt the sting of black rain"  
  
"A thousand dreams can't mask the pain"  
  
"Tonight the prophet gets paid..."  
  
Ratchet gave it a powerful tug & the 2 doors came apart. He unclasped Clank.  
  
"You stay here & call if anything big & ugly comes around the corner!"  
  
Clank nodded. Ratchet ran into the large room with its different cells. Most of them contained either really big beasties or people who muttered 'Bugrit' over & over to themselves.  
  
He finally noticed the one with the girl sitting in it, staring forlornly out the window.  
  
He attacked the bars & was easily able to bend them. (Drek doesn't pride himself on paying big bucks on security)  
  
He ran into the cell.  
  
"Sprocket?!!!"  
  
The girl turned at the sound of his voice. Her hair was matted & she was dirty with mud & dust. Her dress was torn here & there & Ratchet could see big bruises on her legs & face. But upon seeing him she jumped up as if she didn't even feel them.  
  
"RATCHET!" She stumbled & tripped her way towards him. She threw herself on top of him & before Ratchet was quite sure what was happening she had him in a lip-lock. Ratchet was too shocked to protest...& somehow didn't want to. She pulled away quickly, smiling brightly.  
  
"You rescued me!"  
  
She kissed him again & pulled away.  
  
"Uh...anytime..." Ratchet said shakily, he could feel his face burning.  
  
She pressed herself against him, but Ratchet could see her legs were beginning to fail her. He bent over & picked her up. He was surprised at how light she was. She gratefully put her arms around his neck. She was clearly exhausted. 'No affect my tail!' Ratchet thought angrily as he carried her out of the cell.  
  
"Ok I got her!" He said as he ran out of the room.  
  
He bent down so that Clank could get attached. Clank had enough courtesy not to comment on the scene of Ratchet carrying the girl. After Clank was clapped on Ratchet got up & started to run off.  
  
"Where did you park our ship Clank?" He asked as he trotted back down the passage.  
  
"Next to yours of course!" Clank said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
Ratchet nodded.  
  
He turned a corner & carried on running. But ahead of him he saw 3 big guards coming back from a lunch break heading their way.  
  
The moment they saw Ratchet they pulled out their blasters & opened fire.  
  
"OH SHIT!" Ratchet yelled.  
  
He ran, jumped & sprung as he tried to dodge most of the bullets.  
  
He held onto Sprocket tighter. She wasn't saying anything but he could feel her shaking in fear.  
  
Malice suddenly filled him as he heard her choke on a silent sob. He glared at the guards. Who did they think they were?! They think they can just do whatever they like & no-one would do anything?! Are they mad?! What gave them the right to play God?!  
  
He gritted his teeth as he pulled out his Pyrocitor.  
  
"BASTARDS!!" He yelled as he opened fire with one hand, the other arm still holding firmly onto the girl.  
  
The robots screamed as the jet of flame hit them. Ratchet was negotiating with extreme prejudice as he burnt them until they're hardware was nothing but a pile of dust!  
  
After this show of hatred he renewed his stride as he ran towards his ship. He had to get there! For Sprocket's safety, for Clank's safety! He had no concern for his own. It was his friends who mattered!  
  
He ran & ran but upon entering the large launching pad he was met by a large group of soldiers. They had apparently been waiting for him.  
  
Ratchet stopped in his tracks.  
  
For a few moments Ratchet & the guards merely stared at each other.  
  
Ratchet's brow furrowed as he stared them down.  
  
He then, calmly, put Sprocket down.  
  
He unclasped Clank & put him next to her, all the time not taking his eyes off the soldiers.  
  
"Clank, Make sure nothing happens to her understand? If things start looking nasty you & her get yourselves out of here! I want no buts! That's an order!"  
  
His voice was so firm that Clank had no choice but to obey.  
  
He nodded grimly.  
  
Ratchet got up but was grabbed around the arm by Sprocket.  
  
He turned to look at her.  
  
Underneath the strands of hair hanging in her face & the dirt & grime in which she was smeared, her eyes sparkled.  
  
"Be careful..." She said, this time it sounded more like a prayer than a simple request. Ratchet stared into her eyes, those acid green eyes that reflected the forest in which she lived. He'd rather stare into her eyes for a minute then spend all day admiring the woods of her home.  
  
He ran his fingers briefly through her hair, knowing that if he said 'yes' he'd be lying.  
  
He then turned his attention towards the large soldiers.  
  
They had been trained to fight with honor. They would not attack him until he was ready to attack back.  
  
That showed true expertism.  
  
Ratchet took a few steps forward.  
  
He took up an offensive stance, as he got ready to face them.  
  
Bullies! That's what they were, but they were the worst kind. They were not cowardly. If you stood up to them they would just hit you harder.  
  
After a brief moments tension, Ratchet ran forward, Wrench raised.  
  
The robots pulled out their own weapons, huge Lance like Laser swords.  
  
They too ran forward, ready to face the boy head on!  
  
The sound of thundering footsteps bounced off the walls as heavy breathing & screams of outrage made eardrums vibrate!  
  
Ratchet hollered!  
  
His eyes were concentrated!  
  
His nostrils flared!  
  
Sprocket averted her eyes!  
  
Metal hit metal!  
  
Laser & beams!  
  
It was all confusion & horror!  
  
Ratchet lashed out with his wrench in a fury he had never felt before! He smacked at the large beasts denting & breaking through their protective clothing.  
  
Stabbing & twisting at unprotected areas of Flesh!  
  
Screams of anguish, rage & torture ricocheted in the large dock!  
  
Ratchet smacked a guard over the head as hard as he could, making a sickeningly cracking noise! He thrust it down into the back of another guard, staining the floor in the man's mortality!  
  
He Pulled out his Devastator in the other hand & started to random fire at the advancing groups of soldiers! Huge pillars of fire shot up every time he pulled the trigger!  
  
He smacked away with his wrench t any guard who came too close! He often had to duck, dodge & weave out of the way of a rouge laser sword!  
  
But the guards seemed to have given up on their weapons & were starting to assault him with their bare hands!  
  
The Devastator clicked as it went empty.  
  
Ratchet tossed it aside & made ready with his wrench!  
  
He attacked in a blind rage! His wrench tearing through the masses like the waves of the ocean tore at a doomed ship!  
  
He kicked, he punched He even bit!  
  
He was so pumped up on adrenaline he wasn't even sure how badly he was hurt himself!  
  
He knew it was impossible to be untouched & yet he felt no pain rushing through him!  
  
He mowed them down until there was but one left!  
  
Ratchet descended upon him like a hawk in the night & brought out all his anger exasperation, abhorrence & pain in a single mighty blow!  
  
The sound of Muscle tearing & sinew twisting as the wrench advanced deeper & deeper into the soldier would make stomachs churn & minds scream!  
  
The soldier sagged under his own weight.  
  
Ratchet pulled the wrench out with a swift movement sending a spray through the air!  
  
The guard fell over backwards, twisted his head in order to give Ratchet a look of deep repulsion & then grew still.  
  
His eyes waxed & still, his froth lying cold on the ground like that left by the tide.  
  
Ratchet heaved & puffed as he struggled to breathe.  
  
His chest had grown tight & his throat was dry. There was a strong coppery taste in his mouth.  
  
Not a single guard moved, Ratchet's smite had struck them down like the mighty wings of death.  
  
Ratchet could feel how feeling was slowly creeping back into him.  
  
Only then did he notice how utterly exhausted & beaten he felt. But he pushed these feelings aside as he turned back towards his friends.  
  
Sprocket was trembling & was the color of fresh snow as he approached. Tears were streaming endlessly down her face.  
  
Ratchet smiled reassuringly at her.  
  
She burst out into tears as she flung herself upon him & cried bitterly.  
  
Ratchet sagged into a sitting position & just held her against him, softly stroking her shaking head.  
  
"It's alright..." He said softly as he held her. "Everything's alright now..."  
  
The sun was busy setting over the forest of Eudora, making the sky bleed in a fury of reds & oranges. The trees sank back into an endless sea. Clank was busy giving the ship a final check up before they would lift off. He didn't feel that he should be with Ratchet at the current moment.  
  
Ratchet was standing in the rather long grass staring deeply into Sprockets weeping face. It had taken a few days but she was once again the strong & free spirited girl she was before. She & Ratchet had argued over every little thing insignificant enough. It had been the best 8 days of Ratchet's life...but now it was over. He & Clank had to move on... the wind whistled through the long grass...telling of places not yet visited & friends not yet met. It was Ratchet's job to answer those calls. It tore his chest open.  
  
He pulled Sprocket into yet another tight hold as she cried out her sorrow, as tears of his own remorse matted the fur on his face. She looked up at him, her emerald eyes still a pool of terrible beauty.  
  
"You will be back some day won't you?" She asked.  
  
Ratchet smiled softly. He pulled her into another hug, putting her head against his chest.  
  
"As long as I have air in my lungs, We will be together again." He said in response.  
  
Sprocket closed her eyes, just listening to the soft thud of the boy's heartbeat as it filled her with pain & eternal hope. They pulled apart.  
  
"& When we are...these fields will be safe for all lovers...This I swear..."  
  
She put her arms around his neck as she pulled his face towards hers.  
  
'If any moment should last forever, let it be this one' Ratchet prayed.  
  
But all good things must end. & Soon he & Sprocket had to stop the show of passion.  
  
Ratchet ran his finger a last time through her silky brown hair. Before he turned & walked towards the ship. Sprocket's soft tears joined the soft humming of the sleek purple ship as it slowly descended through the air. Ratchet gave her a look of longing for a last time, before the ship shot off through the velvet sky, leaving a shining trail of white through the red clouds as he & Clank continued their struggle to make the galaxy a safe place once again.  
  
& Then they were gone. & She had nothing to remember them by except for Ratchet's promise echoing in her head.  
  
As long as I have air in my lungs, We will be together again.  
  
A cold wind blew through the trees & whipped through Sprocket's hair, as the landscape around her grew dark as night fell upon the world. & She smiled.  
  
"We will be together again...I promise..."  
  
Alone for a while I've been searching through the dark  
  
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart  
  
To weave by picking up the pieces that remain  
  
Melodies of life--love's lost refrain  
  
Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why  
  
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye  
  
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?  
  
Let them ring out loud till they unfold  
  
In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me  
  
Though you're gone, I still believe that you can call out my name  
  
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine  
  
Adding up the layers of harmony  
  
And so it goes, on and on  
  
Melodies of life,  
  
To the sky beyond the flying birds--forever and beyond  
  
So far and away, see the bird as it flies by  
  
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky  
  
I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings  
  
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings  
  
In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?  
  
Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind?  
  
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine  
  
Adding up the layers of harmony  
  
And so it goes, on and on  
  
Melodies of life,  
  
To the sky beyond the flying birds--forever and beyond  
  
If I should leave this lonely world behind  
  
Your voice will still remember our melody  
  
Now I know we'll carry on  
  
Melodies of life  
  
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts  
  
As long as we remember 


End file.
